Surrogate
by windglidr
Summary: A woman dies of a mysterious illness at the hospital Martha is investigating for UNIT. As more people get infected, she and the Doctor work to determine the cause of the illness.
1. Chapter 1

**My first fic! And for the Who fandom no less. As I love Ten/Martha so much and there aren't many stories out of them I decided to make a go at writing them. I apologize for any writing mistakes in advance as I don't have a beta. I also have no medical background whatsoever so please forgive any inaccuracies.**

**This story is set sometime after Journey's End.**

**Disclaimer: don't own anything Doctor Who just burrowing the amazing characters, and created a few of my own. **

Chapter 1

Martha left the operating room having performed her last surgery of the day. A major accident had occurred during the night but thankfully everyone had survived, and the surgery she performed was successful. It was almost daybreak now and she felt exhausted but her day wasn't over. She still had to carry out her main assignment of discovering what secrets the hospital held. So far, she had come up empty-handed but from her experience nothing remained hidden for long.

However, before Martha could do anything she was paged to the emergency room. When she arrived it was basically empty when compared to a few hours ago, but Martha could hear commotion in one of the screened off rooms. She entered the room to find a panicked nurse and a seemly dazed medic both standing back whilst a woman thrashed on the bed in deep distress. The woman was extremely pale and dark blood was hemorrhaging from her eyes and nose.

Martha quickly checked the patient's chart and made a quick assessment.

"I'll need your help sedating her," Martha ordered the man who still stood back.

He flashed Martha a scared look, so Martha asked, "What your name?"

"It's Steve," the medic stammered.

Martha very calmly said, "Steve, she is confused, disoriented and very sick. We need to treat her immediately but I can't do that unless you help me. Can you do that Steve?"

Steve nodded his assent.

Before touching her Martha said, "Can you hear me Margret; we are going to help you. But I need to inject you with something don't be alarmed." The woman focused her attention on Martha and slurred some words which Martha could not make out. Martha took the needle but the movement caused the woman to lash out at Martha, scratching at her. Steve had to forcefully hold her still until Martha was able to insert the needle and she went limp in his arms.

As Martha began examining her she instructed, "Steve, could you setup an IV for her," and turning to the nurse she said, "Could you put an oxygen mask on her as well, her breathing is too shallow."

However, before either of them could act the woman began convulsing and flat lined. Martha immediately began CPR but despite her best efforts she could not bring her back. After the grueling night she had just had, losing someone felt a little raw. But it always upset her to know that no matter what she did, she could not save everyone.

However, she swallowed her emotions and asked the nurse before her, "What's your name?"

"It's Shelley," the nurse said.

"What happened to your face?" Martha said gesturing to below her jaw.

"She struck me before you came in," Shelley said grabbing a clean cloth and wiping the blood off her bruised jaw line.

"Who brought her in? Her chart didn't say," Martha asked.

The medic spoke up, "I did. She walked into the hospital and collapsed."

"And did you find her in that condition?" Martha queried.

Steve shifted nervously, "Yes."

"Do you know anything about what happened to her?" Martha questioned.

"No," Steve answered immediately.

"Okay, it's been a long night, you two can go and get cleaned up and I'll handle all the paper work," Martha told them.

Steve seemed unwilling to leave but reluctantly followed Shelley out the room. When they were gone Martha screened off the room again and reexamined the woman. She found no physical injuries on her so she took another look at the woman's chart. Her name was Margret Forest and she had no previous medical history of major health issues. This made no sense to Martha as both her heart rate and blood pressure were double the normal rate. This would have at least suggested she suffered from heart disease or hypertension. The hemorrhaging however confused her as she had recently been admitted to the hospital but her medical file had no reports of a potential health issue. She decided to call the UNIT and report the case.

After her call, Martha wasn't reassured by their response or later by the team's treatment of her. The UNIT team barged into the hospital assuming complete authority. They side lined her and removed everything which came into contact with Margret Forest. But what vexed her was their feeling the need to question her and make her feel like a common criminal when they knew they were on the same side. She hoped they weren't subjecting Steve and Shelley to the same sort of treatment.

When she finally managed to call the UNIT Commander to express her outraged and requested to do the autopsy, or at the very least to have access to its results, he threw a lot of red tape at her causing her to cut the conversation short.

Thus, she decided to do some digging of her own. Unfortunately, the CCTV tapes in the hospital had been down which security blamed on a glitch in the system, which she had discovered were a frequent occurrence. She managed to gain access to some of the street level cameras but none showed Margret arriving at the hospital. She would have liked to do a full city sweep on her own but she did not have the time, skill or resources at her disposal to do that. So after three days, all she had to go on was Steve's implausible story that she had walked into the hospital on her own.

To aggravate matters UNIT continued to dodge her requests and had failed to give her any information on the autopsy. Martha dismissed thoughts they begrudged her leaving them for Torchwood as they had called her up when she arrived in America. But at times she had to wonder.

Frustrated and tired Martha decided to take a break and think out her next step. She went to the hospital cafeteria which was thankfully empty. As she sat down and tried to eat the hospital food she detested, her mind inevitably drifted to thoughts of her life. When Martha thought back to less than a year ago, she was happily engaged, her family was stronger and happier than ever with her parents back together, Leo married to Shonara, and Tish having recently gotten engaged. They were all still forging new happy lives for themselves but hers had derailed.

Martha contemplated for the umpteenth time if things could have worked out any differently with Tom. She was drawn to Tom Milligan because of the man she had met during the Year That Never Was. But no matter how she tried to deny and ignore it, she had been in love with a ghost. This Tom though still amazingly brilliant was a different man. She sometimes wondered whether she held on to him for so long because of his connection to the life she lived with the Doctor, but she always tried to dismiss those thoughts quickly. The endless wedding postponements should have been a clear sign but it was only when he declared he wanted to live in Africa indefinitely and expected Martha to drop everything and follow him, did she admit marrying him would be a huge mistake. So she broke off her engagement to her mother's horror.

Then there was Mickey, which was a huge mistake from the outset. Martha knew jumping from one relationship immediately into another would not end well, but with her track record with relationships she wasn't sure whether she should be surprised. He had fallen hard for her and proposed after only six months into their relationship. She rejected his proposal and decided to leave Torchwood as well which Jack was understandably angry about. But, she needed a fresh start where she could make a new beginning without any holdups from her past. Yet, she could not deny she missed the Torchwood team and her family.

She looked down at her barely touched food and pushed it away having lost her appetite. She looked across the cafeteria and spotted Shelley walk in and sit down alone. She decided to walk over.

"Hi, do you mind if I sit down", Martha asked brightly.

Shelley looked up at Martha and smiled, "Yeah sure, doctor."

"Call me Martha," Martha said taking a seat.

"Thanks for helping me the other day," Shelley said referring to another incident when she had been unable to do a routine check. "Not a lot of doctors would have helped out a newbie nurse."

"You'll come to find I'm not your normal doctor. How have you been, you seem to be having a hard time of it?" Martha asked genuinely concerned.

"I'm beginning to wonder whether I made a mistake becoming a nurse. And thinking back to that day, it just seems more and more like I'm not cutout for it. I mean, I keep remembering how scared that woman was and how I failed to help her. In training they tell you be ready for anything but I don't think they could have prepared me for that." Shelly said dejectedly.

"That was an exceptional situation and you handled it as well as you could. You don't have to be perfect at everything; no one expects that. You work to do the best you can which is exactly what you did. You know if you need to talk to someone I'm here or I could arrange for someone to chat with you," Martha said supportively.

"No I'm fine, but lately…, never mind," Shelley said suddenly clamming up.

"Yes?" Martha inquired.

"No it's nothing," Shelly said dismissively.

"Is something wrong?" Martha asked.

"I'm being silly," Shelly insisted.

"You can tell me anything," Martha encouraged.

"I just haven't been feeling well but I'm sure it's nothing," Shelley said.

"I could do a quick checkup if it will put your mind at ease," Martha offered.

"No, I don't want to bother you. Plus I have to get back to work soon," Shelley said.

"It won't take long," Martha insisted.

Martha waved away the younger woman's protests and led her to one of the examining rooms. Martha ran a few standard tests and got her blood work checked out. When she saw the results she knew there was a problem. Her blood work showed an unidentifiable substance and her blood pressure and heart rate were elevated. Her hemoglobin count was also low. Hiding her worry behind a profession smile she said, "I just need to check out a few things but stay here while I get it sorted."

Martha left and found an empty room and dialed the UNIT Commander.

"Doctor Jones?" she heard him say.

"Commander Shaw, are the autopsy results ready?" Martha asked already knowing the answer.

"The results will be available to you as soon as they are ready," Commander Shaw replied. "Do you have something to report?"

"I'm not sure; I have to look at the autopsy report first," Martha maintained.

"If there is something to report I need you to tell me now," the Commander asserted.

"It's a simple request Commander, I need a copy of the autopsy," Martha replied.

After a short silence he said, "Can you find a safe computer to view it on?"

"Yes," Martha said.

"Okay, I've raised your security clearance. You can access the file now," Commander Shaw stated.

Martha went to an empty administrator's offices and opened up the file. When she read through the report she asked, "Why didn't you send this to me earlier?"

"It was on a need to know basis," Commander Shaw stated.

"As one of your field agents I am on a need to know basis. How can I carry out my assignment successfully if I don't know all the pertinent facts?" Martha contended.

"It was out of my hands. What do you have to report?" he asked.

"Firstly, if you want me to stay on this assignment I cannot be left in the lurch," Martha asserted.

"Agreed, now what did you find?" Commander Shaw asked.

"The report shows Margret Forest's body underwent physiological changes which thickened her blood, reduced her hemoglobin count and contained an unidentified alien substance. Those same changes are happening to one of the nurses in the hospital. Her name is Shelly Cumberland. I am not yet sure how she got infected but I would also suggest checking Steve Evans who is a medic here."

When she had hung up, Martha walked back to the examining room to find Shelley gone. Though she would have liked to warn Shelley, her priority was to find Steve. After a few quick inquiries she found out he had not shown up for his shift today or the previous night. She cursed herself for not keeping a closer eye on him but she managed to get his address from his personal file. She decided to check up on him personally as she could not trust Commander Shaw to keep her informed.

She left the hospital and drove to his home. As she pulled up to his house, out of habit she scanned the streets which were empty. She decided on impulse to take a few supplies and her gun. She had learnt to always be prepared after a few nasty run-ins in the past. She exited her car and headed for the front door.

She knocked on the door and receiving no answer she picked the lock. She surprised herself by getting pretty good at it after getting frustrated one too many times that she did not have a certain sonic screwdriver to grant her access. As she entered the house she noted all the blinds giving the house an eerie feeling. She cautiously checked each room on the main floor until she arrived at his bedroom. She found him lying unconscious on his bed with his mouth and nose trailing blood which stained his bed. Like Margret Forest his blood was a darker shade than it should have been and an odd odour hung around his body which Martha had wrongly assumed was a perfume Margret wore.

Martha put on some gloves and checked for a pulse. He was dead, but she couldn't be sure for how long. It worried Martha that he had succumbed so quickly as it didn't give Shelley much time. She wasn't sure what caused Steve to gain what she now assumed was an infection but she hoped a sample of his blood would lead to some answers. She took a sample for herself, and then grabbed her cell to make a call to UNIT.

However, she stilled when she heard footsteps approaching. She wasn't sure she locked the front door when she came in or whether someone had been in the house already. She also didn't have enough time to hide, so she placed her hand on her gun and readied herself for a confrontation.

A tall man in a brown pinstripe suit filled the door frame.

"Doctor!" Martha said shocked.

"Martha Jones!" The Doctor said equally surprised.

They were both momentarily rooted where they stood until Martha overcame her shock and walked over to hug the man she never expected to ever see again after their last parting. The Doctor lifted her up in a tight hug happy to see his former companion

When he released her Martha asked, "What are you doing here?"

"The Tardis brought me here. I scanned the area and got strange readings from this house so here I am. And by the looks of it, it is not good," the Doctor said spotting the man lying on the bed.

Martha watched the Doctor approach the bed and knowing his bad habits she said, "Don't touch him," she warned, "He seems infected by something which could be contagious. He was a medic at the hospital I now work in."

"What happened to him?" the Doctor asked.

Martha gave a quick explanation of the events which led her to this house.

"Whatever's in this house could be linked to what happened to him." Let's take a look around the Doctor said.

They exited the bedroom and checked the last remaining room on the main floor before heading to the basement. The room looked like any ordinary basement full of stacks of boxes and junk. The Doctor opened the door leading to an adjoining room but instead of walking in he froze at the door.

"What's wrong Doctor?" Martha asked.

"Stay back Martha," the Doctor said sternly.

She peaked around him and saw an alien standing in a room which resembled a mad scientists laboratory more than a basement. The alien was extremely tall and broad like a wrestler, and encased in a black shell which resembled an exoskeleton of a beetle forming claws as it reached its hands. A grey leathery head was visible from the neck upwards.

It was an imposing figure which she would have been wary to face alone, and was glad the Doctor was with her. When the Doctor spoke, she could not understand what he said as it sounded like gibberish. The Doctor spoke again but the alien maintained its stony silence examining them. However, its chest shell began to flash a deep purple and red which Martha would have thought beautiful if it wasn't so menacing. She studied the array and easily became mesmerized by it. She vaguely saw its mouth move and felt like it was speaking to her mind, ordering her to surrender. She felt an overwhelming urge to do as it said but when the Doctor took her hand she snapped back to reality as if awoken from a dreamlike state. He stiffened and spoke again. Martha finally heard the being speak but though she could not understand it she had to assume its reply was not good as the Doctor slowly started to inch backwards. It produced a sword Martha had previously not noticed and started approaching them.

Without warning it lunged at them and the Doctor pushed Martha to the side and he fell in the opposite direction to avoid its attack. Martha quickly crawled behind a pile of boxes which created a flimsy barrier between the alien and herself, which now separated her from the Doctor.

The being examined Martha curiously, but then ignoring her lunged again for the Doctor who just managed to get out of its way. Martha drew her gun and fired three successive shots before it could launch another attack. The creature's amour flashed a deep red and purple again causing her to involuntarily drop her gun. However she managed to injure it which allowed the Doctor to maneuver himself and grab her hand.

"Run!"


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The Doctor grabbed Martha's hand and pulled her towards the stairs. They still had to dodge the sword which was swung in their direction, but the aliens movements were now sluggish enough for them easily avoid it. They raced up the steps and the Doctor sonicked the door shut.

"Are you okay," The Doctor asked Martha with concern.

"Yes, I'm fine," Martha said giving the Doctor a smile of reassurance.

They waited as they heard slow steps climb the stairs. It banged fruitless against the door before eventually heading back down.

"This door won't hold it indefinitely," the Doctor said.

"It doesn't have to, UNIT is on its way. I better call and warn them," Martha replied taking out her phone and making a quick call to inform them of alien hostility and of what had happened to Steve. When Martha hung up she said, "They'll be here any minute."

"We better get back to the Tardis then," the Doctor said turning and heading out the house.

Martha hesitated for a moment before she followed him out the door. The Doctor walked a short distance to the Tardis, unlocked the doors and walked in leaving Martha to close the doors behind her. He headed straight to the console, brought down the screen and began searching information on the race they just encountered.

Martha followed him to the console and watched the Gallifreyan symbols flash across the screen. She didn't understand it and seeing the Doctor's concentration she decided to wait before questioning him. She knelt against the railing and scanned the room. Everything looked exactly as it did the last time she was in the ship but there was no sign of any other occupant. That struck her as odd.

Martha was caught off guard when the Doctor suddenly turned and asked. "When did you start carrying a gun? I don't remember you ever needing one."

Martha unconsciously crossed her arms and said, "I'm not just a doctor anymore, I need to defend myself sometimes."

"And you think a gun is the best way of doing that?" the Doctor criticized.

Martha narrowed her eyes, "It doesn't hurt to have one in times of emergency."

"The Martha I knew didn't carry a gun," the Doctor said.

"Then maybe you didn't know me as well as you thought," she shot back.

"Apparently, since I also never thought you were capable of destroying the Earth," he asserted.

The statement shocked Martha as it seemed a callous coming from the Doctor. Almost destroying her planet with the Osterhagen Key still haunted her. Knowing she was capable of ending the lives of billions of people in an instant was terrifying, and having that knowledge led her to leave UNIT. But she wasn't going to admit this to the Doctor or let him make her feel guilty for saving their lives.

"The rest of us have to stay behind and find a way to survive," Martha answered.

"And you think gun toting is the best way?" the Doctor continued.

"The work I do is dangerous," Martha defended.

"Isn't it always?" the Doctor accused.

"I know you don't approve but I won't apologize for trying to protect us, nor do I want to argue with you. It's the last thing I want," Martha said softening her tone and uncrossing her arms.

"You're right, I'm sorry," the Doctor said giving her a lopsided smile. He hadn't meant to argue with her, he knew both their lives had been in danger and Martha had possibly saved their lives. However, though seeing Martha again was the first real happiness he had felt in a long time, he could not help directing his anger at her which always seemed to be bubbling just below the surface.

It wasn't much of an apology but Martha didn't mind, something else was bugging her. "There are more important things we should be discussing anyway, but first where is everyone else?" Martha said surprised no one else had joined them in the console room yet.

Martha saw the Doctor's face momentarily cloud over before becoming impassive.

She knew that look. The first time she traveled with him she had seen it often, the pained look of misery which he was trying to hide now. She knew not to prod further so she gave him an out, "but more importantly what was that thing back there?"

The Doctor knelt back against the console and said, "It's a Mannar from the planet Mardarsian. They are a very violent and dangerous race, who captured worlds and used those they defeated as slaves. They were once a great empire but a civil war broke out and eventually they destroyed themselves and their world half a millennia ago. The few Mannar who survived are scattered across the universe."

"Back at the house, I felt hypnotized by it." Martha said remembering the hold it had on her mind.

"Some within their species can create a hypnotic hold on their victims. The more powerful can overtime make you do their bidding. The one at the house was a moderately powerful telepath but even if he was stronger it would not have worked on me. Their abilities pale in comparison to Timelords," the Doctor said.

"Do you know what they are doing on Earth?" Martha asked.

The Doctor pondered this and said, "I'm not sure. They generally keep to the other side of the universe. I've never encountered them on Earth before."

"What about when it spoke to you in the house, what did it say?" she inquired.

"Basically that it wanted to kill us," he said.

"And in the basement, could you tell what it was doing in there?" Martha asked.

The Doctor rubbed the back of his head, "Well, it seemed to be creating something."

"So in other words you don't know," Martha said finally getting frustrated at the lack of answers.

"That's not what I said," he tried denied.

"We know nothing," Martha said exasperated. "Hopefully UNIT has moved everything to the base and we can find some answers there. And I can also check on someone."

"Someone?" the Doctor questioned.

"Shelley, a nurse from the hospital," Martha answered.

"Oh," the Doctor said trying to act indifferent.

"She got infected like the man at the house," Martha said.

"Oh," The Doctor said realizing the implications. "no time to waste then."

He turned to face the console again and input UNIT's coordinates. He flipped two switches and began cranking the lever. "Next stop UNIT."

The Tardis began to shake and they dematerialized.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Commander Shaw stood waiting for the arrival of Martha and the Doctor. With three more people discovered this morning, the situation was steadily getting worse. They were fresh out of answers and his superiors were threatening to removed him from the operation if he did not solve this soon. From the Doctor's file on his work with the UK division, he and Martha were his best bet in finding answers.

before long, the Commander's heard a whrooping sound accompanied by rushing wind filling the command centre. He watched as a blue police box materialized before him and out walked the Doctor and Martha.

Commander Shaw strode to them and saluted.

"Welcome to UNIT Sir, it's an honour," he said.

"Always with the saluting," the Doctor said irritated.

Commander Shaw lowered his hand,"Good to have you back Doctor Jones. Please follow me to my office and I'll give you both a full briefing."

The Commander led them to his office, and upon entering he and Martha took opposing seats whilst the Doctor remained standing periodically pacing.

"Doctor Jones, we omitted some things when we initially briefed you on the mission," Commander Shaw began.

"You don't say," Martha said sarcastically.

Without acknowledging her statement he continued, "We were first alerted to a problem in the city when the number of missing people suddenly shot up."

"Wait, there hasn't been any reports of missing people in the news or papers," Martha said.

"There hasn't been any," the Commander said. "We have been squashing the reports to keep this out of the public's eye and avoid panic. Though it's getting harder to keep under wraps as more people go discovered a possible connection to the hospital when we learned the victims were either treated at the hospital shortly before their disappearance or a family member or friend had been."

"That's when you called me up," Martha said.

"Yes, we needed someone immediately and you were highly recommended," the Commander said. "The missing eventually turn up but with gaping lacerations on their torso. Well they did, until you called us from the hospital. The woman you found had the same bodily mutations without any of the injuries. We had assumed the physical injuries led to the mutations but we now know that is not the case."

"But why not tell me this from the beginning and keep me in the dark?" Martha inquired.

"We weren't sure what ties you still had with Torchwood," the Commander answered.

"It was about inter-agency competition? Seriously?" Martha said irritated. "And how many people have gone missing thus far?"

"From this morning," Commander Shaw hesitated and said, "We have found thirty-five bodies with potentially ten more people missing."

"Forty-five!" Martha involuntarily exclaimed in shock.

Martha had to work to suppress her growing frustration, and the Doctor's pacing wasn't helping. It was putting her on edge as she could not help but wonder what he was thinking.

Taking a deep breath she said, "Doctor, what do you think?"

"Yes, right," the Doctor said stopping his pacing. "I need to have a look at everything you found at the house."

"The medic's house?" Commander Shaw asked

"His name was Steve Evans," Martha interjected.

"Unfortunately before we could contain the alien it had destroyed everything in the basement. However, we have transported Mr. Evan's body to the medical bay for an autopsy. Doctor can you give us any information on how this alien is connected to the disappearances and deaths?" Commander Shaw asked.

"That's what we are here to find out," the Doctor said.

"I'll take you down to the medical bay then," the Commander said standing up.

Commander Shaw guided them to a medical bay which had two guards positioned outside, which was odd considering they would be guarding the dead.

Before entering Martha stopped and asked, "Where are you keeping Shelley?"

Seeing the confusion in the Commander's eyes she added, "The nurse from the hospital, Miss Robinson." The Commander could at least try to learn the names of the victims she thought.

"She is in the adjust facility," he nodded to the guard at the door.

"I'll go and see how she is doing," Martha said before turning and following after the guard.

The Doctor watched his former companion walk away. He smiled to think Martha, his doctor, was by his side again. It felt right but he knew it wasn't permanent. Martha had made a life of her own which did not include him. And after the way he had just treated her on the Tardis it would not have surprised if she had cursed him out. But regardless, he had ruined her life once and he was not going to do it again. Once this was sorted they would part ways again.

The Doctor entered the room and saw Steve's body laid out on one of the examining tables.

Commander Shaw walked up to the table and said, "He is our first male victim."

"What?" the Doctor asked surprised.

"All the rest were female," the Commander said. "We thought the disappearances were linked to gender in someway. This of course contradicts that."

The Doctor removed his screwdriver and ran it across his body. An explanation began to form in his mind but he had to make certain.

"Where are you holding the Mannar," the Doctor asked the Commander.

To the Doctor's surprise the Commander walked to the other side of the room. He stopped in front of a wall lined with chambers. He punched in a code which opened one of the compartments.

The Doctor walked over and watched as the Commander pulled the compartment out and unzipped the bag. Within lay the lifeless body of the Mannar.

"This is what you call containing?" the Doctor accused.

"My team had no choice, it had injured two of my men before they subdued it," Commander Shaw defended.

Begrudgingly the Doctor examined the Mannar with an increasing dislike for the man beside him.

Martha left knowing she would need to talk to the Doctor. Something was definitely wrong, but knowing the Doctor she would have to force it out of him. She had to wonder if something terrible had happened. The Doctor had been a broken man when she first met him because of the loss of Rose, what would it do to him if he lost her a second time. And where was Donna? She refused to believe he would just dump her back at home when he got Rose back. And what of his twin, if she could call him that, what happened to him. She ran through different scenarios in her head but eventually she decided there was no point speculating. She could only get answers from the Doctor.

Martha was led to a separate unguarded medical unit. Upon entering the room she saw Shelley had been connected to a number of machines which feed into a computer. The results were displayed on a screen to the left of her where a blond doctor stood writing silently.

"Hello Shelley," Martha said.

Shelley turned her head and saw her, "Martha they brought you too!"

Martha walked to Shelley's side and asked the doctor standing nearby, "Do you mind if we have a minute?"

The woman looked up finally acknowledging Martha's presence. She seemed annoyed at the disturbance but she said, "Of course" and walked to a computer station.

Once alone Martha asked, "How are you feeling?"

Shelley tugged against the wires, "I was ferried away like a criminal without explanation to a secret base, where they have stuck me to machines and run numerous on me. How would anyone feel?"

"Fair point," Martha conceded.

"Is there something wrong with me? Everyone is refusing to answer any of my questions," Shelley asked.

Martha considered telling her the truth but again decided against it, "I'll see if I can get answers from your doctor."

Martha approached the doctor who was now transfixed by the screen in front of her.

"Hello, I didn't introduce myself before. I'm Doctor Martha Jones."

"I'm Doctor Cathy Williams," she said barely looking up.

"Can you tell me anything about her condition?" Martha asked.

"It like nothing I've ever seen before. Her DNA is mutating at a rate which should be medically impossible." She pointed to a screen with intrigue which showed fluctuating numbers, "Even her vitals are changing every minute! It's like her body is rewriting its self before our eyes, only I'm not sure into what yet," she said with fascination.

Frowning Martha said, "I thought she was a patient not a lab experiment."

Cathy took her eyes away from the screen and cleared her throat. With dampened enthusiasm she said, "Of course not, our first priority is treating her."

With fake sweetness Martha replied, "Just making sure you know that."

Martha turned away from the clearly offended woman and rejoined Shelley.

"Did she give you any answers?" Shelley said.

"Not really," Martha said.

"This is about that woman who died in the hospital isn't it?" Shelley asked.

"I'm afraid so. But you have the best_ doctor_ working on a solution. He'll figure it out," Martha assured.

"Are you here because you were infected as well?" Shelley asked.

"Don't worry about me," Martha said dismissively.

"Martha"

Martha turned to see the Doctor walk in. She smiled and he came to join her.

"Is this the friend you spoke about?" he asked.

"Yes, Shelley this is the Doctor," Martha said.

"Another doctor?" Shelley whined.

"Hey, his not just any Doctor," Martha said giving the Doctor and quick smile.

"Do you mind if I ran a quick scan?" The Doctor said.

Shelley looked to Martha who nodded her head. "Okay,"

The Doctor took out his screwdriver and ran it over her. He looked at it for a moment and put it back in his breast pocket.

"That's it?" Shelley asked confused

"Yep," the Doctor said popping the 'p'.

Shelley eyed the Doctor skeptically.

Martha also gave him a look but said nothing.

"Shelley, we've got to leave but I promise to return as soon as I can," Martha said.

They left and headed back to the command centre.

"Find out anything?" Martha asked.

"Yep," the Doctor said again.

"And are you going to tell me what it is?" Martha asked.

"Come along, I'll tell you in the Tardis," he said.

Commander Shaw was back in the commander centre and spotted the Doctor and Martha headed for the Tardis.

"Wait, what did you find out?" he said trying to stop them.

"I'll be inside," the Doctor said entering the Tardis.

"I'll call with an update," Martha said before also entering the Tardis and shutting the door.

Commander Shaw stared powerless as the Tardis dematerialized.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

When Martha entered the Tardis the Doctor sent it up to hover just above the city. Martha walked and stood opposite him.

The Doctor ran his hand through his head. "I can't believe I didn't see it before."

"See what?" Martha asked.

"Sometimes I can be so thick," he said hitting his head. "It was staring right at me."

"What was?" Martha said.

He paused and tilted his head, "But it should be impossible, no it is impossible."

"Doctor," Martha called but he continued.

"But anything is possible given time," he said thoughtfully.

Putting her hands on her hips Martha said, "Doctor are you going to tell me what's going on or are you going to rambling on for the next five minutes?"

The Doctor stopped and stared at her, "Yes, sorry."

"What are you doing?" Martha asked going to stand next to him

"I'm scanning the city below," he said.

"Why?"

"Because I need to find them before they invade this planet," he said

"What are they after?" Martha asked.

"It's not what they are after its _who_," the Doctor said with emphasis. "They want to make this their new breeding planet."

"Breeding planet?" Martha asked confused.

"Yes," he agreed.

"Doctor," Martha said, "You're going to have to explain more than that."

The Doctor gave her that condescending look he always gets when he has to explain something which was obvious only to him.

"The Mannar breed using hosts," he began "They used to have planets where they did this. But their enemies destroyed them. As their population dwindled the separate clans fell into civil war over the last remaining hosts. Eventually they destroyed themselves and they destroyed their world."

"But what do you mean by hosts?" Martha asked.

"The Mannar are a biologically engineered race, and they use other species to breed," the Doctor replied.

"So what does that mean for us?" she asked.

"Humans are, or were, incompatible as hosts but it seems they have found a way to change that," the Doctor said.

Martha pondered what he said for a moment, "So what you're saying is they want to make us into one big breeding factory?"

"I'm afraid so," the Doctor said.

"We can't let that happen?"

"Of course not, I just need to find them." The Doctor stared at the console screen and frowned.

"Any luck?" Martha asked.

"No," he said.

Martha decided to voice a niggling thought which had bothered her for a while. "Doctor the woman who died in the hospital, she supposedly walked into the hospital on her own. But how did she get there when she was so sick and none of the cameras saw her."

The Doctor looked at her for a moment thoughtfully then lit up.

"Martha Jones you are brilliant," he said hugging her. When he pulled away his smile had dropped.

"What?" Martha asked surprised by the sudden change in his demeanor.

He smiled again and sent the Tardis in motion.

Once the Tardis had landed Martha asked, "So where are?"

"Go and find out," he said.

Martha looked at him skeptically but went to open the doors. When she stepped out, she looked around confused, "Why are we in the hospital basement?"

The Doctor came out behind her, "Because this is where the Mannar are?"

He took his screwdriver out and scanned the air.

Cynically Martha said, "Don't you think someone would have noticed if there were aliens in the basement?"

"Not if there were hidden," he replied. He walked down the hall way and Martha followed him.

After a while the Doctor stopped at a door. He looked it over and opened it. Instead of an entrance way a solid wall stood on the other side. He examined it again and proceeded to lick it.

"Is that sanitary?" Martha asked wrinkling her nose. "I'm sure there is an easier way of finding things out than licking them."

The Doctor changed the setting on his sonic screwdriver and aimed it at the wall. The wall vibrated and opened. They stepped inside and looked around. Though they were in the same building, the walls were lined with vein like cords emitting a blue afterglow. They were in a circular room with three separate passageways leading off into different directions.

Martha dryly stated, "I think we're in the right place."

The Doctor walked to the centre of the room and aimed his screwdriver down the passageways. When he pointed it at the third passageway it gave a buzzing sound.

"Lucky door number three it is," the Doctor said.

They walked down the passageway until it led them into a large open room. The room was lined with women laying on beds hooked up to medical equipment.

Martha approached the woman closest to her, "Their all pregnant."

The Doctor approached another woman on the opposite side, "Not exactly, but yes."

The Doctor took out his glasses and put them on. The woman was unconscious and had an oxygen mask over her mouth. An IV was attached to her pumping a purple liquid. The Doctor spotted an unconnected bag of IV so grabbed it and put it in his larger on the inside pockets.

"Doctor there is no way that all this equipment could go missing from the hospital without anyone noticing," Martha said walking to check another woman.

"It was so obvious they were here, I can't believe I never realized it sooner," the Doctor said walking to check on another woman. He scanned her as well.

"I guess a hospital is the perfect place," Martha said. "You have all the equipment and drugs you need, but how are they still alive?"

"They are pumping them with something," the Doctor said distracted.

"But how do the people get infected and how did they get here?" Without waiting for an answer Martha answered her own question, "They all came to the hospital before they went missing, but it can't be airbourne or everyone would be sick. They had to be injecting, entering their bloodstream, that's how Shelley got sick when she bruised her chin. Then after a couple of days when they get sick they come back to the hospital or someone brings them here and they get taken."

"Martha, sorry to interrupt your brilliant train of thought but its time we leave," the Doctor said seriously.

"Why," she asked confused. She turned and saw a Mannar at the opposite door. She cautiously made her way to the Doctor's side.

"Sorry for dropping in unexpected, but we will just be leaving now," the Doctor said cheerily.

"You will stay," it commanded with its shell flashing.

"We'd rather not, if you don't mind," the Doctor said taking Martha's hand to shield her from the telepathic messages it was transmitting.

The Doctor stepped in front of Martha and whispered to her, "Leave now, I'll catch up to you."

Martha turned and ran out the room. She sprinted until she reached the circular room again and made for the door. But the door was solid wall again and she couldn't get it opened. Martha turned when she heard foot steps approach and saw the Doctor running towards her with three Mannar on his tail. He aimed his screw driver at the wall and it opened. Martha dashed out and headed for the Tardis with the Doctor and the Mannar gaining on her. The Doctor caught up to her and grabbed her hand pulling her on. As they reached the Tardis he let go of her hand and ran to reach the doors first and open them. Martha didn't slow down but ran in only stopping once inside. The Doctor locked the doors behind him.

Martha bent over panting trying to catch her breath. This was the part of the Doctor she did not miss she thought gasping for air. Her lungs were burning from the lack of oxygen.

"You're out of practice," the Doctor teased.

"What," she asked confused.

"If that little jog leaves you breathless I'm afraid I can't take you on any more trips," the Doctor teased.

"Oi mister, everyone doesn't lives their lives running from danger." They both realized the hypocrisy of her statement and burst out laughing.

the Doctor walked over, lifted Martha up and placed her in the pilot's chair. She smiled appreciatively and collapsed back into the chair.

Martha's sleeve had ridden up revealing a bandaged wrist.

"What happened to your wrist?" the Doctor asked.

"Just a scratch," she answered dismissively pulling down her sleeve again.

The Doctor gave her a questioning look but said, "I have most of what I need."

"So where to now?" she asked.

"We need to go back to UNIT," the Doctor said.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

The Doctor set the Tardis to take them back to UNIT's base.

"So what's our next step?" Martha asked.

"The Mannar have been messing with human DNA," the Doctor said leaning over to pull a lever. "I need to find a way to rewrite the genetic code back to normal."

"Can you do?" Martha asked.

He paused for a moment and looked at her, "I don't really have a choice do I."

"And how are we going to do that?"

"I should be able to create a formula, but since the DNA is mutating at such a rapid rate it might take a few tries first," he said.

The Tardis landed with a jolt and Martha turned and headed for the doors, but before she opened them she noticed the Doctor wasn't following her.

Martha stopped and turned around, "You coming?"

"No," the Doctor replied.

"So what are we doing here then?" Martha asked confused.

"I came to drop you off," the Doctor said.

"Wait what?"

"I need to do the rest alone," the Doctor stated.

"Why?" Martha said walking back towards the console.

The Doctor stared Martha in the eye. "How long have you been sick?"

Martha stopped and shifting her gaze away, "How did you know?"

"I can smell it on you," the Doctor said running his hands through his hair."I should have noticed it earlier, you reek of the stuff."

"Excuse me," Martha asked feeling inexplicably offended.

"You've smelt it on everyone else before, it's barely noticeable but it's there," the Doctor said.

Martha remembered that odd smell she had first mistaken as a weird perfume on Margret Forest, then when she found Steve Evans. She hadn't paid much attention to it in the hospital basement but she was sure it was there as well.

"I'm sick yes, but that doesn't mean I can't help," Martha replied.

"What symptoms do you have?"

"I'm just a little tired," Martha said dismissively.

"Anything else?" the Doctor prodded.

"It's not a big deal," Martha protested. "We need to focus on helping those women back at the hospital, and it will be quicker together."

"Martha," the Doctor reprimanded.

Martha hesitated but admitted, "Pain in my chest, shortness of breath, persistent migraines, a fever. Do you want me to go on?"

"Why didn't you say anything before?" the Doctor asked.

"Because you would have stuck me in the sick bay and gone off alone," she said.

"Do you really believe that?"

"I know I probably should have said something earlier, but telling you wouldn't have changed anything," Martha said.

"Did you think I wouldn't care? That I wouldn't want to know," the Doctor asked.

"It's clear you have enough worries on your mind or you wouldn't be alone now," Martha asserted.

Martha saw a dark look crossed his face again before he hid it. She walked across the console room and went to stand next to him.

"Doctor you've been acting weird, or weirder than unusual. I know something happened, I just wish you would tell me what."

He took a deep breath and said, "I lost them."

Seeing the look of horror on Martha's face he quickly said, "No they are alive but they're gone."

Martha didn't pressure him to continue but waited hoping he would open up to her.

The Doctor placed his hands in his pockets and blew out his cheeks. "Rose is back in the alternate universe with my other self. He needed her and she needed someone she could live her life with. I couldn't give her what she needed but he could."

Martha stared at him stunned. She thought what the Doctor always wanted was to have Rose with him again but instead he let her go again. Maybe she had been wrong or he didn't have a choice. She couldn't understand it.

Not knowing what to say Martha simply said, "I'm sorry,"

He gave her a weak smile, "She is with her family. She will be happy."

The Doctor didn't say it, but he knew sending her away was the best thing to do. Though he had once loved her, he knew he could never trust her again. Despite his warning of what would happen if she ever tried to return to this universe, Rose created the dimension cannon again which ripped a hole in the universe at the cost of collapsing the walls of the universe. Her actions freed Davros from the Time War and had hurt countless people in the process. Rose needed a reason to stay in the alternate universe and now she had one.

Martha sensed the Doctor would not say anything further so she hesitantly asked, "And Donna."

The Doctor looked at Martha with pain in his eyes. "She..," he began but stopped and looked down and fell silent.

Seeing the Doctor's pained expression Martha felt guilty. He didn't owe her an explanation and if he choose not to talk about it she needed to be okay with it.

Martha touched his arm and said, "It's okay you don't need to tell me."

"No you knew her too, you deserve to know," he said.

The Doctor closed his eyes and visualized Donna's tear soaked face pleading for him not to let her go back, begging him to stay. Donna was still alive but he could not save her. The guilt of failing her plagued him constantly, he had let her down. Now, he was so absorbed in his own grief that he couldn't see Martha, who was right in front of him, needed his help. He could stop the Mannar easy, but reversing the mess they had created was another matter. He couldn't guarantee Martha's life. The Doctor squeezed his eyes shut refusing to let any tears fall.

"When you last saw her," he began, "She had a Time Lord's mentality. But a human brain was never meant to hold all that knowledge. It was killing her." The Doctor paused again. "The only way I could save her was to take away her memories of me and the time we spend together. And she can never remember, not for a single moment or she'll die. I had no choice, I couldn't watch her die," the Doctor said choking on the last statement.

Martha wrapped her arms around the Doctor's waist hugging him. She didn't say anything. She knew he didn't need words; he just needed her to be there. To know he wasn't alone.

The Doctor pulled Martha against his chest and rested his head on top of hers. The pain of losing Donna felt like a scar his hearts could not mend, but opening up to Martha was comforting. Having her with him was quelling the tide of anguish which has consumed him thus far. He held her welcoming the feeling of calm which settled on him by having someone he could trust implicitly close to him again

Eventually Martha said, "I wish you had said something to me then. You didn't have to be alone."

"You'd moved on, you had a life. I couldn't ruin it again not after what happened the last time," the Doctor said.

"Doctor I would do anything for you," Martha confessed.

"I know." In barely a whisper the Doctor said, "I'm sorry Martha."

Martha pulled away from him and looked up into his face, "You have nothing to apologize for."

"I do," he said lowering his head remorsefully. "I have so much I need to apologize for. We traveled together and I made you feel unimportant. You were never just a one time traveler, I always know those who will travel with me I just do. I could always see you were brilliant and amazing. Instead of telling you that I treated you horribly and it took you leaving me to see how wrong I was. But by then it was too late. I never said, but I'm sorry."

Martha again felt at a loss for words. There was once a time she had longed for such validation and though she pretended it didn't matter, it did.

"Thank you, but that's in the past now," Martha answered.

"It's not as I'm clearly doing it again," the Doctor confessed. "But I'm going to make this right, but first I need to leave you here."

"But I can help you," Martha protested.

"What I need to do will take time, time you don't have," the Doctor stated.

Despite feeling compelled to stay with him, Martha knew he was right. "I'll stay but only under one condition."

"What?"

"You test the formula on me first," Martha said firmly.

"I can't do that," the Doctor said.

"It's not your choice I'm volunteering," Martha said.

"The first time I try it, it will be risky," he said.

"That's why it has to be me."

The Doctor still looked at her doubtful.

"It will be fine, I trust you," Martha said confidently. "You just hurry back mister."

Martha hugged him again and headed for the Tardis doors without looking back. Once outside she turned around and stood to watch the Tardis dematerialized.

Her ears filled with the whrooping sound of the Tardis engines as Commander Shaw came to stand beside her. Silently they watched it disappear .

"Where is he going?" the Commander asked.

Martha released a breath she never knew she was holding and turned to face the him, "I guess you need updating on a few things."


End file.
